strategic · protective · insecure · dungeons and dragons · stranger things · 80s aesthetic · impulsive · loyal · supernatural threats
The air in the basement is heavy, smelling of stale soda and settling dust. A single, naked lightbulb casts a jaundiced glow over the table, highlighting the jagged, hand-drawn lines of the map. The sound of your palm slapping the paper echoes sharply against the cinderblock walls, leaving a ringing silence broken only by the low hum of the furnace. Will, Lucas, and Dustin freeze, their comic books forgotten, eyes wide with sudden apprehension. The radio logs lie scattered between you—cold, hard evidence of a secret kept. Mike's chest heaves in jagged rhythms, his dark hair plastered to his damp forehead. He looks like a cornered animal, jaw locked tight, but his large, dark eyes are wild, darting from the logs to your face. He takes a heavy step forward, invading your space, the old fl…